Invasive House Sparrows Spotted Again in Pingtung, Checheng; Bird Society Urges Reporting
Invasive House Sparrows have been sighted again in Checheng, Pingtung, mixed with local Tree Sparrows. The Pingtung Bird Society is urging birdwatchers to report sightings to help track and manage the invasive species, with the county government planning removal.
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- 📰 Published: April 10, 2026 at 19:20
- 🔍 Collected: April 10, 2026 at 20:00 (40 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 06:21 (226h 20m after Collected)
A birdwatcher spotted two House Sparrows mixed with local Tree Sparrows at the Checheng Inclusive Playground near Fu'an Temple in Pingtung County in late March this year. As it is now the breeding season, even just two birds cannot be underestimated. It is hoped that birdwatchers will help track them and find their nests for removal, otherwise, in addition to breeding, hybridization with Tree Sparrows may also occur.
Wu Zheng-wen, president of the Pingtung Bird Society, told CNA today that because sparrows are common bird species, birdwatchers generally do not pay special attention to them when birdwatching, and may overlook the invasive House Sparrow, which resembles the Tree Sparrow in appearance. He called on birdwatchers who see sparrows near Fu'an Temple recently to pay special attention to their features, and to report sightings of House Sparrows to the Pingtung Bird Society, the Pingtung County Government's Agriculture Department, or upload them to eBird, so that relevant authorities can handle them. The Agriculture Department has scheduled to go to Checheng on the 21st to remove nests if found.
Wu Zheng-wen mentioned that the county government removed 11 nests at Fu'an Temple in 2024, capturing 2 males, 9 females, and 6 chicks at that time. Since House Sparrows are monogamous breeders, it is estimated that there are still 9 males and 2 females at large. In October last year, a birdwatcher also reported spotting 1 male and 2 females north of Wuliteng Airport in Hengchun.
According to information from the Chinese Wild Bird Federation, House Sparrows are native to Europe, Central Asia, South Asia, and Indochina. They often travel the world with ships and have now widely invaded and spread to North and South America, Africa, and Oceania.
House Sparrows, like native Taiwanese sparrows, mainly build nests in the gaps of human-made structures. However, they are about 10% larger than native sparrows and have an advantage in competing for nesting sites and food. Once House Sparrows successfully expand in Taiwan, they will inevitably squeeze out the native sparrows' original space and resources.
In addition to being slightly larger than Tree Sparrows, House Sparrows also have some differences in plumage. According to eBird information, the male's crown plumage is gray, and the female is generally light brown with a light yellow eyebrow stripe. (Editor: Xie Yazhu) 1150410
Wu Zheng-wen, president of the Pingtung Bird Society, told CNA today that because sparrows are common bird species, birdwatchers generally do not pay special attention to them when birdwatching, and may overlook the invasive House Sparrow, which resembles the Tree Sparrow in appearance. He called on birdwatchers who see sparrows near Fu'an Temple recently to pay special attention to their features, and to report sightings of House Sparrows to the Pingtung Bird Society, the Pingtung County Government's Agriculture Department, or upload them to eBird, so that relevant authorities can handle them. The Agriculture Department has scheduled to go to Checheng on the 21st to remove nests if found.
Wu Zheng-wen mentioned that the county government removed 11 nests at Fu'an Temple in 2024, capturing 2 males, 9 females, and 6 chicks at that time. Since House Sparrows are monogamous breeders, it is estimated that there are still 9 males and 2 females at large. In October last year, a birdwatcher also reported spotting 1 male and 2 females north of Wuliteng Airport in Hengchun.
According to information from the Chinese Wild Bird Federation, House Sparrows are native to Europe, Central Asia, South Asia, and Indochina. They often travel the world with ships and have now widely invaded and spread to North and South America, Africa, and Oceania.
House Sparrows, like native Taiwanese sparrows, mainly build nests in the gaps of human-made structures. However, they are about 10% larger than native sparrows and have an advantage in competing for nesting sites and food. Once House Sparrows successfully expand in Taiwan, they will inevitably squeeze out the native sparrows' original space and resources.
In addition to being slightly larger than Tree Sparrows, House Sparrows also have some differences in plumage. According to eBird information, the male's crown plumage is gray, and the female is generally light brown with a light yellow eyebrow stripe. (Editor: Xie Yazhu) 1150410